Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Sunday's Forecast
Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
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Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 25th October 2026
Last updated
Sat 24th Oct 26 at
4:12PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Severe conditions across the mountains: storm-force wind, to hurricane force over Munros well into the day; severe wind chill. Frequent showers with hail in England and Scotland, persistent Scottish Highlands with snow on tops; risk of flooding. Scattered showers Wales, becoming scattered further north.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Severe conditions: hurricane-force wind, showers, hail, summit snow
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-northwesterly sustained 80 to 90mph in exposure, strongest gusts over 100mph on the Cairngorm plateau. Beginning to moderate slightly late in the day but sustained speeds unlikely drop below 70mph during daylight.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions, even on modest hills. Mobility nearly impossible in exposure and severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent rain/hail, upland snow, near-constant for periods
Near-constant showers, particularly north and west areas and sometimes widespread persistent precipitation; snow falling above 800-900m or later slightly lower, also some hail in heavier bursts with a remote risk of lightning. Will begin to lessen through afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive high terrain, regularly lowering
Cloud base varying, but often capping higher slopes, lowest and most persistent toward western side of Cairngorms to 700-800m, patches to 600m in showers, and likely more widely extensive to middle slopes at times. Some breaks higher up more often towards Deeside, and later a rising chance of higher breaks here.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, mostly east, cloudier for a period morning into midday. Generally poor visibility in cloud and rain, to appalling in snow on high tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C, may start a degree milder. Wind chill feels like -20C or colder in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
1000m to start, lowering to 900m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 26th October 2026
Last updated
Sat 24th Oct 26 at
4:12PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20-30mph, shifting southerly and lessening briefly; later 40-50mph, further rising into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
May be fairly small for a time, but deteriorating afternoon, to challenging conditions with significant wind chill later.
How Wet?
Rain arrives afternoon, sets in
Most hills dry to start, just some spotty rain near and west of A9, snow above 800-900m. Rain approaches from the southwest afternoon and will set in, persistent falls for a few hours at least.
Cloud on the hills?
Banks over tops, becoming extensive
Banks of cloud above 800-900m in the morning, may lift and break up briefly, perhaps to high tops, but then a broad deck of cloud lowering onto the tops as rain approaches, to become extensive to middle slopes, or low slopes southern Cairngorms.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%, lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun through high cloud, good visibility, increasingly clouding over to later become overcast and dull.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C, slow rise, then rapidly afternoon to 8C or higher, little change with height. Feeling below 0C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
1100m at dawn, lifting well above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 27th October 2026
Last updated
Sat 24th Oct 26 at
4:12PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 65-80mph, may strengthen for a few hours, top speeds to 100mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions on the mountains, including smaller hills for a time; any mobility difficult and severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers, turning to snow on tops
Showers mostly south and west areas, more scattered towards Glen Avon, but also likely clustering for a few hours of more widespread falls before breaking into showers again. Turning to snow on tops, later to 700m.
Cloud on the hills?
Tops often covered, regularly lowering
Most terrain above 1100m staying in cloud all day. Bases lower in showers, to around 800-900m at first, but perhaps more extensively towards 600m for a few hours during steady rain. Will break up again, perhaps just high tops later when out of showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some patchy sun, mostly north and east, locally good visibility. Visibility more often poor on tops, to very poor in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 or 4C, generally lowering to finish near 1C. Feeling like -15 to -20C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
1300m morning, lowering towards 900-1000m later before rising again overnight.
Planning Outlook
Unsettled weather persists into early next week. A relative lull in the early hours on Monday for north Scotland before the next weather system soon sweeps in from the southwest with drizzle, some heavy rain, and extensive mountain gales. Temperatures will be unseasonably mild. Rain breaks into showers for most on Tuesday with cooling temperatures, becoming snow on high terrain. Gales remain widespread, severe conditions persist over Scottish Highlands. Pressure slowly builds from the south into Wednesday and Thursday; staying blustery, cloud and some showers affecting western areas, but bright spells breaking out, briefly more settled in England and Wales. Confidence in forecast detail is low into next weekend, but western hills are likely wet again, more widely cloudy with cool to mild temperatures.